The Congress described the Union Budget as nothing but an illusion.
Kallige Taranath Shetty, spokesperson, Dakshina Kannada unit of the party, said that the budget was aimed at pleasing the middle class. He said the Congress did not support the proposal on increasing the foreign direct investment cap in the insurance sector from the current 26 per cent to 49 per cent. It would hit the Indian insurance companies hard, he said.
Mr. Shetty said the announcement that the rural areas would be supplied with power round the clock by reserving Rs. 500 crore was just an illusion. He criticised the government for not sanctioning an IIT for Karnataka. The government had not announced any scheme for the direct marketing of agricultural commodities to help farmers, he said.
B. Madhava, secretary, Dakshina Kannada district committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) said the government had not made it clear how it would bring down the high prices of essential commodities. The budget had not announced schemes for the eradication of unemployment, he said.
Mohammed Kunhi, president, Dakshina Kannada unit of the Janata Dal (Secular), said the budget was not common people-friendly.
‘Progressive’K. Jayarama Shetty, spokesperson, Dakshina Kannada unit of the BJP, described the budget as progressive. Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP, said that it was a farsighted budget. He said that there were all chances of Mangalore being included in the development of 100 smart cities announced in the budget.
